Adjustable shelf



March 25, 1952 A. G. MERKLE ET AL 2,590,195

v ADJUSTABLE SHELF Filed Nov. v21, 1947 s sheets-sheet 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Il" March 25, 1952 A. G. MERKLE ET AL ADJUSTABLE SHELF Filed Nov. 21, 1947 March 25, 1952 A. G. MERKLE ET AL v 2,590,195

' ADJUSTABLE SHELF Filed Nov. 21, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I?? vez? 0213 channels 1.

Patented Mar. 25, 1952 ADJUSTABLE SHELF Arthur G. Merkle and Hoxie Eldridge, Marshall, Mich., assignors` to Sherer-Gillett Company, Marshall, Mich., a corporation of Illinois Application November 21, 1947, Serial No. 787,464

justable shelf brackets and is especially adapted for use in connection with commercial display cases and the likein which meat and other commodities are stored, displayed, and from which they are sold.

. One object of our invention is to provideV a bracket which may be mounted on the display cabinet or case which will be strong and rigid enough to vsupport the scales used in dispensing goods and wherein the guide of the scale, bracket or shelf may be adjusted at the will of the operator.

Other objects will appear from time toI time in the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings,

wherein: i

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic rear elevation of a display counter;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bracket ;V

Figure 3 is a vertical section through a part of the countershowing the bracket in elevation and a shelf supported on the bracket;

Figure 4 is a plan View of the bracket;

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5-5 o f Figure 3;

I Figure '6 is a section along the line '8 8 'of Figure 3 on an enlarged scale showing the parts before actual locking has taken place;

Figure, 7 is a similar section showing the parts in position after locking has occurred.

Like parts are indicated by like characters in the specification and drawings.

I is a display cabinet having a forwardly inclined rear wall 2, a work opening 3 closed by a removable door 4. At some place on this forwardly inclined wall 2, shown in this case adjacent one end, is mounted a plate 5 held on the wall by screws 6. The plate is integrally channeled along each side as at 'I, the channels, where they overhang the plate, being notched at 8, 8 on both sides of the plate. f

9 is a slide plate of such width and thickness as to rest on the plate 5 and slide within the Integral with this plate is a horizontally disposed bracket plate II). Plates 9 and Il) are joined as at II and are so disposed with respect to the angle of the plate 5 and the back ofthe counter or box I that when the plate 9 travels in the channel 1, the plate I0 is substantially horizontal. The plates 9 and I9 are, before they are bent in the position shown in Figure 2, notched at I2 so that the plate I8, being wider than the space between the inner edges of the 4 claims. (c1. 248-245) 2 channels 1, is still yfree vto travel up and down along the plate 5. I3 is a strut plate whose width is less than the distance between the inneredges of the channel 1. The strut is welded or otherwise suitably attached, as at I4 and I5, to the plates I8 and .9, respectively. I6 is a locking platev hinged at II to the underside of the plate I0, having an angular extension I8 adaptedto engage the notches 8, 8. The locking plate I6 carries two shoulders 24 which extend beyond the angular extension I8, and when that extension engages the notches 8, 8 ,it is adapted to be thrust into engagementwith the plate 5, where it is recurved to define the channel I by the spring I 9 which urges the plate I6 in a clockwise direction as indicated in Figure 3. The width of the angular extension I8 is such that whenthe shoulders 24 engage the plate 5, the extension I8 does not at iirst engage the plate `9 as the device is being manually placed in position. However, when load is applied to the plate I0 through the medium of the shelf 2I,- for instance, this tends to draw the plate 9 tightly against the outer portion of the` channels 1 as indicated in Figure 7, thus not onljr` locking the plate 9 against downward movement, but clamping it against the recurved portion of the plate 5 where the channels 'I are formed, to lock the plate 9 against all play or wobble. y

When desired, the slide is disengaged from the notches 8 by merely lifting the plate I0 and shelf 2|. This elimination of all play or wobble is of the utmost importance, especially when, as is frequently the case, the shelf 2l serves as a support for scales and the like.

2| is a shelf, preferably wood, extending along the back of the counter or box and supported by the plate I9. 'I'he shelf. may be balanced on the plate, or there may be a plurality of such plates spaced along the box to support the shelf. The shelf is thus useful for serving or handling meat and the like, or for supporting a scale, or for any other purpose where a rigid, stili. adjustable horizontal shelf is required.

It will be realized that although we have illustrated and described an operative device. still many changes may be made without departing materially from the spirit of our invention, and we wish, therefore, that our showing be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than limiting us to our precise showing.

We claim:

l. A flat base plate having inwardly turned transversely slotted channel forming edges, a slide plate mounted for adjustable movement along the base plate with its opposed edges masked by the channel forming edges of the base plate, a shelf supporting member of such width that it clears the channel forming edges extending laterally from the upper portion of the slide plate, an inclined strut of such width that it clears the channel forming edges, joining the lower portion of the slide plate and the outer portion of the shelf supporting member and a latch pivoted on the underside of the shelf supporting member adapted to overlie the channel forming edges.

the shelf supporting member and a latch pivoted on the underside of the shelf supporting member adapted to overlie the channel forming edges, and penetrate two of the slots in the channel forming edges, and yielding means for biasing the latch into such penetrating engagement.

3. A ilat base plate having inwardly turned transversely slotted channel forming edges, a

slide plate mounted Yfor adjustable movement along the base plate with its opposed edges masked by the channel formingedges of the base plate,`

a shelf supporting member of such width that it clears the channelfprming edges extending laterally from the upper portion of the slide plate, anV

inclined strut of such width that it clears the channel forming edges joining the lower portion of the slideplate and the outer portion of the shelf supporting member and a latch pivoted on theY undersideuof the shelf supportingv member adapted to voverlie the channel forming edges, they latch lplaterhaving a portion adapted to penetrate each of anopposed pair of slots in opposite channel forming edges `and yielding means for biasing the latch intoengagement with the channelforming edges,

`l and penetrate two of the slots in the channelV 4. A :dat base plate having inwardly turned transversely slotted channel forming edges, a slide plate mounted for adjustable movement along the base plate with its opposed edges masked by the channel forming edges of the base plate. a shelf supporting member of such width that it clears the channel forming edges extending laterally from the .upper portion of the slide plate, an inclined strut of such width that it clears the channel `forming edges joining the lower portion of the slide plate and the outer portion of the shelf supporting member, a latch pivoted on the underside of the shelf supporting member adapted'to overlie the channel forming edges, the latch plate having aportion adapted to penetrate each of an opposed pair of slots in opposite channel forming edges and yielding means for biasing the latch into engagement with the channel forming edges, the portion of the latch plate which penetrates the slots being adapted to clear the slide plate when the plate engages the undersides of the channel forming edges.

ARTHUR G. MERKLE. HOXIE ELDRIDGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 525,014 Griesemer Aug. 28, 1894 565,539 Hartzell Aug. 1l, 1896 793,052 Chickering June 27, 1905 891,968 Allen June 30, 1908 1,055,201 Mason Mar. 4, 1913 1,068,062 Kallenbaugh July 22, 1913 1,132,495 Stauber Mar. 16, 1915 1,231,000 Crist June 26, 1917 1,299,234 Russell Apr. 1, 1919 1,713,664 Kressl May 21, 1929 2,103,484 Meyer Dec. 28, 1937 2,240,086' Adler Apr. 27, 1941 2,336,604 Edward etal. Dec. 14, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 376,866 Great Britain July 21, 1932 

